Railroad car door construction

ABSTRACT

In a railroad boxcar, a reinforced door structure including a lower corner section of the sliding door engageable with another associated door or a fixed door post wherein the corner section is provided with a generally flat elongated right triangular gusset having its flat side against the flat side of the corner section, the right angle of the gusset being aligned with the right angle of the corner section, the upper angle section or apex of the gusset including a thickened integral boss inserted in the cutout portion of the front edge structure of the corner section, the boss having a hasp pin projecting outwardly for receiving the hasp on the post or associated door, the vertical edge of the gusset having an outwardly projecting offset door front edge engaging portion overlapping the inside of and being welded to the door front edge structure with the boss being spaced between the door front edge structure and the bottom door panel of the door structure, the sloping hypotenuse edge of the gusset being bevelled to deflect loading away from the door area where the gusset is located.

United States Patent [191 Hesch et al.

[111 3,886,687 June 3, 1975 RAILROAD CAR DOOR CONSTRUCTION [75] Inventors: Harold E. Hesch, St. John; John W.

Hutchison, Crown Point, both of Ind.

[73] Assignee: Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: June 10, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 477,955

2,036,991 4/1936 Tobin 49/449 X Primary Examiner-Kenneth Downey Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Richard J. Myers 5 7] ABSTRACT In a railroad boxcar, a reinforced door structure including a lower corner section of the sliding door engageable with another associated door or a fixed door post wherein the corner section is provided with a generally flat elongated right triangular gusset having its flat side against the flat side of the corner section, the right angle of the gusset being aligned with the right angle of the corner section, the upper angle section or apex of the gusset including a thickened integral boss inserted in the cutout portion of the front edge structure of the corner section, the boss having a hasp pin projecting outwardly for receiving the hasp on the post or associated door, the vertical edge of the gusset having an outwardly projecting offset door front edge engaging portion overlapping the inside of and being welded to the door front edge structure with the boss being spaced between the door front edge structure and the bottom door panel of the door struc ture, the sloping hypotenuse edge of the gusset being 8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures RAILROAD CAR DOOR C()NSTRI('TION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to the field of railroad cars hav ing sliding doors. for instance. with railroad boxcars, and in particular. deals with the construction of the end of the sliding door that carries the hasp pin for coupling with the hasp that is located on an adjacent door or car post. as seen for instance in US. Pat. No. 3.791.688 which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art teaches the use of boxcar door con struction as shown. for instance. in the aforesaid patent. However. in the area where the railroad boxcar door has contact with another sliding door on the car or with a vertical post of the car. reinforcement of the door section carrying the hasp pin is most desirable and this is what the instant invention as hereafter described accomplishes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention has for its main object to provide for a gusset located in the lower portion of the railroad boxcar door in the area where the hasp pin is mounted which is near the vertical edge of such door.

Another object of this invention is to provide for a door protector gusset that deflects and guards against loads and impacts in the corner of the door by the door lock arrangement whereby proper opening and closing of the door is maintained.

Another object of this invention is to provide for a triangular shaped gusset located in the lower corner portion of the door with a hasp pin located in the upper apex of the gusset construction which allows loads on the hasp pin to be directed along the hypotenuse of the triangular gusset and as well as along the vertical edge of this gusset: therefore the loads along the lower door section are divided and diminished in effect.

It is a further object of this invention to provide for a vertical edge on the gusset which overlaps with the front edge of the door to provide for good welding of the gusset to the door structure. The door front edge is also provided with a cutout to receive the hasp pin por tion of the gusset providing for good door locking and for good door reinforcement and hasp pin reinforcement.

Further more the unique gusset arrangement prevents the door front edge from peeling away due to loads imparted on the hasp pin by the hasp as the gusset and its hasp pin are attached to the door panel and the door front edge and thereby prevents such undesirable peeling of the door edge away from the door panel.

These and other objects will become apparent from reference to the following description. appended claims and attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a partial view of the main door of a boxcar and the auxiliary boxcar door upon which is mounted the hasp:

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. I;

FIG. 4 is a front ele\atioual view of the novel gusset:

LII

FIG. 5 is an end view of the, gusset taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4'. and

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view taken along line ()6 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference now to the drawings and in particular with reference to FIGS. 'I-3, there is shown a railroad boxcar first door structure 2 of a typical railroad boxcar 4. The boxcar has a second door 6 which has a door seal structure 8 that abuts against seal structure 10 of the first door structure 2 (see FIG. 2). A hasp I2 lockingly couples the two doors 2 and 6 together. The hasp 12 is retained or locked on a locking structure I4 and its cooperation with the hasp that is pivotally connected to the first door is explained in detail in the copending application of James J. Schuller. Ser. No. 334.552 filed Feb. 22. 1973. and forms no part of the subject invention.

The subject invention has to do with the gusset structure 18 which is shown not only on FIGS. 1-3 but also FIGS. 46 and is located in the lower corner section 20 of the first sliding door structure 2. The gusset structure I8 is generally a right triangle unit in geometric shape having its vertical edge portion 22 in vertical alignment with the front edge structure 24 of the of the door structure 2 and has its lower horizontal or base edge portion 25 located at the upper portion of the door lower housing 26 which carries the door roller 28 for the door structure 2 as seen in FIG. 1. The gusset structure 18 has a sloping biased or hypotenuse edge portion 30 which is attached to the door panel 32 of the door structure 2 by welding as indicated by w shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The gusset structure 18 adjacent its vertical edge or left side portion as viewed in FIG. 4 on its front face 34 is provided with a vertically extending protruding or raised or offset portion 36 which in assembly on the door fits underneath the front edge 24 of the door 2 and is welded thereat by weld w as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is further noted that along the hypotenuse edge portion 30 the gusset presents a bevelled section 38. This bevelled section 38 acts as a door protector and deflects loads and guards against loads damaging the corner section of the door. The gusset structure 18 is provided with a central or web portion 40 that connects the offset portion with the bevelled section or portion and forms the central body or the gusset which is more or less flat with the exception of the offset and bevelled sections 36 and 38. The backside 42 because of the bevelled section 38 has an enclosed or recessed area 44 and the inner sections of the hypotenuse edge portion 30 and the vertical edge portion 22 at the upper or apex 46 provide an enlarged boss or protuberance 48 outwardly from which projects the aforementioned hasp pin 16 which is integral therewith. The boss 48 extends between the door panel 32 and the front edge structure 24 of the door 2 and at the cutout 50 in the front edge 24 of the door 2 as seen in FIG. 3. The hasp pin has a retainer 52 about its outer extremities and retains in pivotal fashion the hasp l2 thereabouts. The nub S4 of the left end of the boss 48. as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5 and FIG. 2., helps seat the boss in the cutout portion 50 of the door structure 24 particularly along its vertical section 24a (see FIG. 2).

Since the pin is at the apex 46 of the triangular gusset the loading on the pin from the hasp is directed in forces fashion along the hypotenuse portion as well as the vertical portion 22 and the base portion 25. thus diminishing the effects of such loading into the gusset and along the bottom of the door, Thus loading is taken off the pin 16 and the front edge section 24 of the door which could also be peeled outwardly or bent outwardly away were it not for the gusset structure to which edge 24 is attached. The overlap of the vertical edge portion 22 with respect to the door edge 24 allows for good welding between these two parts. The cutout in the front edge of the door receiving the pin and gusset boss provides excellent trapping of the gusset and its pin within this front edge of the door as well as for good door reinforcement. It is noted in FIG. 2 that the longitudinal section 24b as well as the transverse portion 24a of the front edge 24 of the door adequately traps the boss 48 and its nub 54.

ln the above disclosure the hasp is locked on a moving door but it could be mounted on a fixed post.

The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is: 1. In a railroad car sliding door, a door edge section, a generally right triangular shaped elongated gusset mounted on the door edge section, said gusset having a vertical edge, a base edge and a sloped hypotenuse edge, the junction of the upper portions of the vertical and hypotenuse edges having an apex portion, an enlarged boss mounted on the apex portion and having a hasp pin projecting outwardly therefrom for pivotally mounting a hasp thereon for attachment to a hasp locking device on the car. i 2. The invention according to claim 1, and said door edge section having a slot and said boss lying in said slot.

3. The invention according to claim 1, and

said gusset being attached to said door edge section by placing weldment along the hypotenuse edge and on the door edge portion.

4. The invention according to claim 2, and

said door edge section having a door panel and a door front edge spaced laterally outward from said panel and said slot being in said door front edge and said boss being spaced in said slot and between said panel and said front edge.

5. The invention according to claim 4, and

said boss having a nub and said door front edge having a lateral section and said slot extending in the lateral section and receiving said nub.

6. The invention according to claim 1, and

said vertical edge having a raised offset portion extending vertically and said door edge section having a front edge and said offset portion overlapping said door front edge.

7. The invention according to claim 6, and

said door front edge and said offset portion being welded together.

8. In a railroad car sliding door,

a door edge section,

a generally right triangular shaped elongated gusset mounted on the door edge section,

said gusset having a vertical edge, a base edge and a sloped hypotenuse edge,

the junction of the upper portions of the vertical and hypotenuse edges having an apex portion,

an enlarged boss mounted on the apex portion and having a hasp pin projecting outwardly therefrom,

a hasp pivotally mounted on said hasp pin for attachment to a hasp locking device mounted on the car,

and

said hypotenuse edge having a bevelled portion with the door edge portion for deflecting loading away at the gusset adjacent the door edge portion. 

1. In a railroad car sliding door, a door edge section, a generally right triangular shaped elongated gusset mounted on the door edge section, said gusset having a vertical edge, a base edge and a sloped hypotenuse edge, the junction of the upper portions of the vertical and hypotenuse edges having an apex portion, an enlarged boss mounted on the apex portion and having a hasp pin projecting outwardly therefrom for pivotally mounting a hasp thereon for attachment to a hasp locking device on the car.
 1. In a railroad car sliding door, a door edge section, a generally right triangular shaped elongated gusset mounted on the door edge section, said gusset having a vertical edge, a base edge and a sloped hypotenuse edge, the junction of the upper portions of the vertical and hypotenuse edges having an apex portion, an enlarged boss mounted on the apex portion and having a hasp pin projecting outwardly therefrom for pivotally mounting a hasp thereon for attachment to a hasp locking device on the car.
 2. The invention according to claim 1, and said door edge section having a slot and said boss lying in said slot.
 3. The invention according to claim 1, and said gusset being attached to said door edge section by placing weldment along the hypotenuse edge and on the door edge portion.
 4. The invention according to claim 2, and said door edge section having a door panel and a door front edge spaced laterally outward from said panel and said slot being in said door front edge and said boss being spaced in said slot and between said panel and said front edge.
 5. The invention according to claim 4, and said boss having a nub and said door front edge having a lateral section and said slot extending in the lateral section and receiving said nub.
 6. The invention according to claim 1, and said vertical edge having a raised offset portion extending vertically and said door edge section having a front edge and said offset portion overlapping said door front edge.
 7. The invention according to claim 6, and said door front edge and said offset portion being welded together. 